Donor Support: Framework for a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict
Implementations
Donor Support – 1991
After the signing of the peace agreement, large amounts of aid were predicted to come into the country, but details of this aid were still unknown.1
At a news conference on the 16th of December, Senator Evans from Australia announced that the Australian government had decided to grant Vietnam and Cambodia 4.4m Australian dollars as supplementary aid for development projects. Of the sum, 2m dollars would go to Vietnam.2 Japan was also considering drawing up a plan to extend its financial aid, including official development assistance to Cambodia.3 Japan also planned to host a Tokyo conference to discuss the reconstruction of Cambodia.
- “Cambodia builds on a fragile peace,” The Age (Melbourne, Australia), November 4, 1991.
- “Australian Foreign Minister Concludes Visit to Cambodia,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, December 21, 1991.
- “Japan to provide aid to Cambodia, possibly Vietnam, Report From Japan,” United Nations, October 24, 1991.
Donor Support – 1992
The International Ministerial Conference on Rebuilding Cambodia, (also referred to as the Tokyo Conference), was concluded on June 22, 1992. In a press conference, UNTAC president, Yasushi Akashi, remarked that the conference was ”an unqualified and spectacular success.” In the conference, $880 Million was pledged, which exceeded the UN Secretary-General’s request. This was due ”to the fact that some needs identified by donors go beyond the minimum needs that were included in the appeal of the Secretary-General.” Japan was the largest contributor — donating 150 to 200m dollars and they were followed by the United States who donated 135m dollars. France and the UN Development Programme were the third largest contributor, giving 57m dollars each.1
- “UNTAC Head Says Conference a ‘Spectacular Success’,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, June 25, 1992.
Donor Support – 1993
“The rehabilitation aid was meant to support everything from road and bridge repair to well-digging and the purchase of school books and essential medicines. But of the $800 million pledged by donor nations at a conference in Tokyo in June, only about $95 million has been disbursed. According to figures compiled by the United Nations, the United States, the largest donor at the Tokyo conference, has come up with only $14 million of the $145 million it pledged. Japan, the second-largest donor, has turned over only about $9 million of the $135 million it promised.” According to the UN transitional authority in Cambodia’s rehabilitation program director, “donor nations had held back hundreds of millions of dollars in promised reconstruction aid out of a fear that the peace process will collapse”.1 In International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia held on 10 Sept. 1993 in Paris, donor community had pledged $119 Million.
Donor Support – 1994
A two day international meeting on the reconstruction of Cambodia was held in Tokyo on March 10-11, 1994. It was generally believed that Cambodia would receive $773 million in aid and loans from 20 nations, the European Union and 9 international organizations. According to the Foreign Ministry Office of the Government of Japan, most of the assistance pledged at the second meeting of the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia, was in addition to another $880 million pledged at the 1992 Tokyo conference and the $119 million pledged at the first ICORC meeting held in Paris last September (1993).1
According to the Straits Time Report, half of the 880 million aid pledged during the 1992 Tokyo conference was paid out.2
In order to reform and restructure the economy, on December 16, 1994, Cambodia signed a set of loan agreements worth 44 million dollars with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.3
- “$773 mil. pledged to Cambodia; for reconstruction projects,” The Daily Yomiuri, March 12, 1994.
- “Half of $ 1.3b aid pledged to Cambodia paid out,” The Straits Times (Singapore), August 6, 1994.
- “Cambodia signs loan accords with World Bank,” ADB, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, December 16, 1994.
Donor Support – 1995
A two-day international conference on aid to Cambodia opened in Paris on March 14, 1995 with representatives from some 40 countries and international organizations in attendance. This was the third international conference regarding aid to Cambodia. During the conference, donor countries agreed on a total of 473 million dollars to be given during1995 and 877 million dollars to be given during 1996.1
- “Cambodia to receive 1.35 billion dollars in 1995 and 1996,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, March 16, 1995.
Donor Support – 1996
Following the three donor conferences, there was no major support pledged in the year 1996. However, the Cambodian dissidents called on Australia and other western governments to tie future aid to Cambodia to its agreement to continued free elections.1
Donor Support – 1997
Another conference of donor countries met in Paris on July 1-2, 1997 (three days before the coup). In the multilateral donor meeting, Cambodia was expected to win international aid commitments of about 500 million dollars. In the conference, Cambodia was told to put its house in order or face dwindling support. Donor countries also criticized Cambodia for spending too much money on its security forces.1
Donor Support – 1998
There were no major donor support activities reported in 1998, except aid given to hold elections. It was reported that Japan would expand economic development aid to Cambodia if the elections were found to have been free and fair.1
Donor Support – 1999
During the Tokyo donor conference held on Feb 25-27, 1999, 16 donor nations and international organizations approved a $470 million aid package to Cambodia. On Feb 25, Cambodia and the International aid organizations and donor countries decided to set up a monitoring body that would hold quarterly meetings to assess Cambodia’s progress in implementing the reforms that were a condition for continued economic assistance.
Donor Support – 2000
The Consultative Group (CG) meeting between the countries and communities on aid for our Kingdom of Cambodia was held in Paris on 25-26th May. At the CG meeting, 16 countries and seven international institutions pledged 603 million dollars in development aid for Cambodia for the year 2000.1
The World Bank also pledged 15 million dollars to assist Cambodia in the demobilization of its army.2